


Red Milk

by Adam_FaulknerStanheight



Category: Fran Bow (Video Game)
Genre: Aftermath, Bittersweet Ending, Blood Drinking, Children, Depression, F/M, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Medication, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Oswald Asylum, Psychological Trauma, Rape Aftermath, Sad, Schizophrenia, Self-Harm, Sexual Abuse, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24427087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adam_FaulknerStanheight/pseuds/Adam_FaulknerStanheight
Summary: Adelaida didn't know how to describe the horrific memories she possessed. Although she was finally on the path of understanding that her experiences were far from normal, she still wanted to see her abuser again: she still longed for the attention and affection the bearded man used to shower her with. She missed the times in which he was nice to her.The Bearded Man - Adelaida refused to refer to him by any other name - was in fact her father's best friend, and the two had known each other for many years. His name was William.The abuse began when Adelaida was but three years old. Her mind was still pure and her spirit gullible.Whenever the man would visit, he would ask Adelaida to sit on his lap, or he would ask her to cuddle him. Adelaida's parents didn't think anything of it. William never had any children of his own, despite his deep wish to have them someday. Even more so: Adelaida loved his sweet and slightly shy demeanor.Her parents never suspected him.Over time, the requests would get more explicit. He would ask her to kiss him on the cheek and to say that she loved him. Although she didn't necessarily feel that way, she always said it with much conviction.
Relationships: Adelaida Fugents/The Bearded Man
Kudos: 16





	Red Milk

Adelaida didn't know how to describe the horrific memories she possessed. Although she was finally on the path of understanding that her experiences were far from normal, she still wanted to see her abuser again: she still longed for the attention and affection the bearded man used to shower her with. She missed the times in which he was nice to her.

The Bearded Man - Adelaida refused to refer to him by any other name - was in fact her father's best friend, and the two had known each other for many years. His name was William. 

The abuse began when Adelaida was but three years old. Her mind was still pure and her spirit gullible.

Whenever the man would visit, he would ask Adelaida to sit on his lap, or he would ask her to cuddle him. Adelaida's parents didn't think anything of it. William never had any children of his own, despite his deep wish to have them someday. Even more so: Adelaida loved his sweet and slightly shy demeanor.

Her parents never suspected him.

Over time, the requests would get more explicit. He would ask her to kiss him on the cheek and to say that she loved him. Although she didn't necessarily feel that way, she always said it with much conviction.

Adelaida was five and a half when her parents left her alone with the Bearded Man. They had to go on a business trip and they were going to be gone for a week. And he was not going to pass off an opportunity like that. He raped her every night, sometimes even multiple times a night. When she threatened to tell on him, he beat her up and proceeded to starve her for the remainder of her stay.

As soon as she saw her parents on the drive-in, she flung herself at them, sobbing hysterically. The Bearded Man quickly made up an excuse. Adelaida couldn't find the courage to go against him just yet, but the second they arrived at home, she told her parents everything.

They were furious and refused to let the culprit get away with his crimes. Adelaida never learned her abuser's fate. She oftentimes asked behind it, but her parents refused to provide her with that information. They hoped that she would grow up to live a (relatively) normal life.

They were wrong.

**_***_ **

'I remember waking up in a strange bed...' Adelaida whispered.

_Adelaida went to sit up in the bed. The room was still shrouded in darkness, leading the young girl to realize that she was not in her own bed. Beside her, she saw the Bearded Man._

_'Good morning, sweetheart', the man said as he stroked a strand of hair behind her ear._

_The small analog clock on the bedside table proved that it was still night. It was but five past three._

_'Is something wrong?' Adelaida asked confusedly. 'Why did you wake me?'_

_'You know how you give uncle William a kiss once in a while?' the Bearded Man asked._

_Adelaida was so sleepy that she could barely process what the Bearded Man was saying. Thus she simply nodded. She did give him small kisses every now and then._

_'I want a little more', he admitted. 'I want to show you how grown-ups love each other.'_

_Before Adelaida could reply, he pressed his lips to hers. For a moment, Adelaida truly thought he was just trying to be nice. She recognized his enthusiasm, so she just allowed him to do as she asked._

_It alarmed her when his hands slid into her pajama bottoms. She felt how his fingers rubbed her. She didn't like it._

_When his fingers pushed inside, she started sobbing. It hurt and she didn't understand what he was trying to achieve._

_This was not the sweet man she thought him to be._

'Adelaida?' Dr. Deern grew more concerned as the little girl narrated her visions. 'Adelaida?!'

It was terribly unprofessional to end a hypnosis session in any other fashion than the "official" one, but Dr. Deern was convinced that this was the only right way. Although he could stand many things, he found it difficult to watch Adelaida thrash and screech wildly as she fought off her attacker in her visions. The fears she endured was too much for most people to fathom.

He rose and placed his hands on Adelaida's shoulders to literally shake her out of it. He feared for her wellbeing if he would let her continue to relive her worst memories.

'It was terrible!' Adelaida flung her arms around Dr. Deern's neck and embraced him, desperately seeking solace in his arms.

'It is best if we end the session for now.' The doctor carefully untangled himself from the young girl. He sat down in his chair and took the clipboard that balanced upon the armrest. Without even looking up at the girl, he jotted down some notes before calling for a nurse.

Adelaida looked up with a disappointed expression on her face. This nurse was strict and unfriendly. She was often the one who ordered for Adelaida to be tied up as a result of her obsession with her own drawings. As a matter of fact: Adelaida was convinced that this nurse disliked her.

Once in her room, Adelaida immediately went to grab her drawing utensils. And so she sat, drawing for over an hour. She didn't even hear the door open.

'Adelaida', a familiar voice whispered. It was her favorite nurse. She had acquired this position because she never tried to take away the crayons.

'Do you like my drawing?' the girl asked sweetly. She scooted aside to allow the blonde lady a better view of her latest art piece.

It was a colorful recreation of her family. Mother, father, and little Adelaida.

'Beautiful, honey', the nurse replied with a warm smile, only to notice a strange... thing at the side of the drawing. It was only partially visible, but it appeared to be a shadow-like, malevolent creature. She couldn't imagine it being an invited guest.

'Sarah?' The girl tugged at the hem of her skirt.

'Yes?' She had been consumed with wonder, so much so that she didn't even hear Adelaida's question.

'Should I make this blue or green?' Sarah's eyes followed the girl's pointing finger to a small shape of which she assumed it was a table.

'I think green would look best.' Sarah waited patiently for Adelaida to fill this shape before remarking: 'Who is that man?'

In a split second, the girl's demeanor shifted entirely. The color drained from her face and she became terribly tense.

'You don't _have_ to tell me', Sarah reminded her. 'After all, I am not a therapist.'

The skies cleared instantly and the child reverted to her usual, joyful self - but it was enough to have Sarah remain tense for the remainder of the day.

**_***_ **

'Adelaida.' This voice was equally familiar but definitely less comforting. Adelaida didn't like this nurse. She was strict and, occasionally, very mean.

Several seconds later, her drawing was pulled away from under her blue crayon.

'Time for diner', the nurse announced coldly.

'I'm not hungry.' It was true; she really didn't feel the desire to eat, especially not after reliving the worst night of her life. She had been forced to so often in the past fourteen months, and yet it still reduced her appetite tremendously.

The nurse didn't bother to respond with words. She simply hauled Adelaida up by her arm.

_******* _

The first thing she noticed when she returned was that her crayons had disappeared, as well as her paper.

'That evil nurse took it', she knew instantaneously.

A sob escaped her mouth, then another.

Her anxiety rose. What was she to do? Although she didn't know the term "coping mechanism", she heavily depended on hers. Without it, she felt lost and threatened.

Without truly realizing it, she began scratching at her own wrists. She just needed something into which she could release her emotions.

If they took away her paper, she would draw on the walls. But with what?

A rational person would choose to dig up the pencils in her drawer but Adelaida chose to go with the red milk in her wrists. Not only did it taste slightly sweet, but it also had a lot of pigment. It was a pretty color.

The Oswald staff was aware of the fact that little Adelaida was prone to self-harm. Because of this, they kept her nails short. But they didn't think to take away her pencil sharpener. Perhaps they had forgotten about it; she barely used it.

Upon realizing that, she began searching for the sharpener. She had to have the red milk.

She sighed in relief when she came across it. So it was still there.

With the sharpener in her tightly clenched fist, she went to sit down in the middle of her room. She patiently removed the blade from the rest of the tool. Her "paint" was literally within arm's reach and she was not going to let it get away from her.

A smile curled her lips upward when the first beads of blood emerged. She couldn't resist tasting it. It was exactly as she expected it to be. She suckled on her own wrist for a moment before realizing that she had work to do.

After creating a few more cuts, one deeper than the other, she rose and began dipping her fingers in the blood. On the wall, she drew the Bearded Man.

**_***_ **

Sarah came to check on her in the morning, and when she saw the "art piece" on the wall, she clasped her hands over her mouth.

'Adelaida!' she exclaimed in horror.

The young girl roused and sat up in bed upon hearing her own name. She was dazed for a moment, then directed her gaze at the drawing on the wall.

'Do you like it?' she asked sheepishly.

Her bedsheets were dotted and streaked with dried blood, as well as her face. Her pajamas were also smeared with it.

'We have to get you clean clothes', was all Sarah could bring herself to say before rushing over to Adelaida to take the girl in her arms.

And somehow, Adelaida was solely concerned about Sarah not liking her art.

**_***_ **

'Why did you do that?' Dr. Deern asked, gesturing to Adelaida's bandaged wrists. If the girl had been older, he would have made the question a little more explicit, but he just couldn't bear to mention the blood.

'The red milk tastes funny', Adelaida giggled. 'And it makes great paint.'

Dr. Deern made a mental note to have that thing, it wasn't art, removed from the wall. He would also have the nurses return the crayons to her. Then, he brought up the Bearded Man. He didn't want to hear the girl talk so casually about slitting her own wrists. He would make sure to round back to that later.

Although he had been anticipating her explanation regarding the "red milk" matter, he decided to drop the issue last second. Nothing would be gained from listening to her talk about the funny taste of her own blood. When it was time for Adelaida to be returned to her room, Dr. Deern made sure to order the nurse to return her crayons. It earned him and overjoyed hug.

The nurse was obviously less happy with the request. She yanked the little girl off the bed and pulled her along down the halls by her sleeve.

'You brat!' she hissed as she threw the girl onto the floor. The crayons and crumpled pieces of paper followed suit. 'Don't think I don't know what you're up to, little girl!' she snarled before angrily slamming the door shut behind herself.

 _At least I have my crayons_ , Adelaida thought to herself.

The painting on the wall had been scrubbed away in the hour she spent with Dr. Deern. She felt a stab of anger, but she decided to leave it the way it was.

With a smile on her face, she began removing the bandages around her wrists. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to taste the red milk again. Her deep love for the taste seemed to disturb Dr. Deern but the girl figured that it was solely because he had never tasted it himself.

_If only he knew._


End file.
